With just one long weekend left before the start of school, ECS held its annual Load Your Locker Night.

The gathering was so students could come to get registered, with a free School Community Council BBQ at the front entrance.

With hundreds of kids moving through the school to deposit supplies and find where they needed to go, administration was very busy.

Incoming Principal James Jones says the night was quite the success.

"It has been an overwhelming success. We have had hundreds of students, both new and returning students, coming back to ECS. Students are excited to be in the building and teachers are excited to see them back in the building."

While this is Jones's first year as principal, he has three years of administration experience acting as the vice-principal.

He's excited to return to the school and continue his work in administration.

"ECS has some of the best students and staff, I would say anywhere in the province if not in the country, so super excited to continue to work with the staff and the students and the community in the Estevan area."

He says in his first year he wants to continue to provide a community atmosphere that has been beneficial to the school and surrounding community.

"I think, hey, we live in the energy city, our community, our students are energized, they do all kinds of awesome things not only in this building but kinda beyond ECS. I really want this to be a community hub and am really looking forward to welcoming people back and supporting student learning, because that's what we're here for."

School begins this year on Tuesday, September 5.

In response to Canada's Online News Act and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) removing access to local news from their platforms, DiscoverEstevan encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverEstevan app.